Liver hemangioma refers to hemangioma of the liver that is asymptomatic and rarely affects the liver function.
The second most common hemangioma case next to skin hemangioma.
Cavernous hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of the liver.
Usually one tumor exists, but multiple lesions can occur in the left or right lobe of the liver in 40% of patients.
Approximately 5% of adults have liver hemangiomas in the United States, but most are asymptomatic.
Liver hemangiomas usually occur between the ages of 30–50 and more commonly in women.
About 30 percent of liver hemangiomas are present at the time of birth.
Consider as a congenital defect.
Abnormal growth of endothelial cells.
More common in the right lobe of the liver.
About 7 percent of the healthy population have hemangioma of the liver.
The usage of steroids and oral contraceptives are shown to exacerbate the growth of liver hemangioma.
Risk factors include age, sex, hormonal imbalance and hormonal therapy.
Most commonly diagnosed between 30-50 years.
About four to five times more among women than men, and women have a higher risk for developing larger lesions.
Their sizes can range from a few millimeters to 20 centimetres.
Those over 5 cm are often referred to as giant hemangiomas.[
Most commonly manifested in women during pregnancy.
Suspected that female sex hormones may be responsible for causation.
Most lesions diagnosed in young children disappear by 10 years of age.
Frequently found incidental to imaging studies done for other reasons.
Almost always asymptomatic.
Cavernous liver hemangiomas are more commonly diagnosed in women who have been pregnant.
On ultrasound, cavernous haemangiomas in liver appeared as homogenous, hyperechoic lesions with posterior acoustic enhancement.
On CT or MRI scans, there are peripheral nodular enhancements in the arterial phase, with portions of attenuation of enhancing areas. In the portal venous phase.
iOn CT or MRI scans, there is progressive centripetal enhancement. In delayed phase, and shows retention of contrast. It shows a high signal on T2 weighted images.
It is believed that estrogen levels may play a role in the incidence of liver cavernomas.
Large lesions may be associated with symptoms, such as pain.
Rupture of large lesions may occur.
Usually no therapy required.
Surgical resection of large lesions, partial liver resection, intraarterial chemoembolization, and VEGF inhibitors are potential treatments.